Lacing-hook.



PATENTED NOV. 8', 1904.

W. B. ESTES. LAOING HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. 1904 N0 MODEL.

3 i mu for Witnmaao anemia M Z 4/MW WZA UNITED STATES Patented November 8, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. ESTES, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF SEVEN- TWELFTHS TO E. G. WILLIAMS AND CLARK HOWELL, OF

ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

LAClNG-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,719, dated November 8, 1904.

Application filed May 28, 1904.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LVVILLIAM B. ESTES, a citizen of the United States of America, and aresident of Atlanta, Fulton county, Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Shoe-Lacing Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe-lacing hooks; and it consists of folding a flat piece of spring metal to produce a loop and a perforated base by means of which the hook is fastened to the shoe.

The prime object of the invention is to provide a hook having a substantially closed string-receiving opening to insure the holding of the string after the shoe has been laced and yet permit of the insertion of the string without threading the end of the string through the loop of the succeeding hook. Furthermore, the construction is such that should a knot be formed in the string the latter may be removed from the loop by pulling it laterally out of the same.

Many other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved lacing-hook applied to ashoe. Fig. 2 is a detail enlarged perspective view of one of the lacing-hooks. Fig. 3 is a View of a hook, showing how a string may be introduced to the Stringreceiving opening. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the manner of disengaging a string from the loop. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the lacinghook applied to a piece of material.

1 represents a shoe, and 2 the edges of the uppers.

3 indicates my improved lacinghook,which consists of a base 4:, top plate 5, string-receiving loop 6, and slit 7 for the passage of the string 8.

The free end of the base 4: terminates in a lip 9, which abuts against the opposite free end 10 of the string-receiving loop 6. The lower end of the lip 9 depends below the plane of the bottom of the base 4, while the end 10 Serial No. 210,315. (No model.

j projects slightly above the plane of the top of said base.

The hook is preferably formed of a single piece of metal bent at the point 12 and folded upon itself and is then shaped to form the string receiving loop. An aperture 13 is made in the folded portions of the base 4 and the top plate 5, by means of which the hook may be secured to the shoe or other article.

If a person desires to thread the string through the loop 6, as with lacing devices now in use, the invention is open to such operation; but if it is desired to slip the thread between the bottom of the loop and the top of the shoe it is Slipped therebetween and through the slit 7 and into the loop. The p roing the string through the slit. Once through the slit obviously the string is drawn toward the outer end of the loop and held therein. Should, however, it be desired to unlace the string, it may be done in the usual way, or if i it be desired to disengage the string from the individual hook said string is moved back of the projecting end 10 and given a slight jerk outwardly, which will raise the bottom of the loop and free the string therefrom. The projection 10 not only serves to direct the string through the slit when unlacing, but also serves to limit the string in its movement toward the outer narrower portion of the loop.

A lacing-hook constructed as herein described presents a device having special and particular merit in that a Substantially closed loop is formed, and yet should it be desired threading its end through the loop it may be readily accomplished. Then, again, the specific arrangement of the abutting ends of the -metal forming the hook possesses decided merit, the practical utility beingevident. The bottom of the loop rests on or near the shoe, which, with the latter, forms a guide for the string when threading it. This serves to permit a person lacing the string conveniently and quickly.

It will of course be understood that the truding end 9 affords ample means for direct--v to introduce or disengage a string without,

metal forming the hook will be formed of spring metal to allow of the ready and convenient introduction and disengagement of the string and permit the loop to again close after the string has passed through the slit.

hat I claim as new is 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a lacing-hook comprising a base provided with an outwardly-extending projection at its free end, and a loop at the outer end of the base which is also provided with a projection at its free end, a slit'being formed between the projections of the base and loop, the bottom of the loop being approximately on a plane with the bottom of the base, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a piece of material, lacing-hooks fastened to the material, each hook comprising a base and a loop, a slit being formed at the meeting ends of the base and the loop, the bottom of the loop being adjacent on the material, the bottom of the base and the material forming a guide for a string to the slit, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a piece of material, lacing-hooks fastened to'the material, each book comprising a base, and a loop whose lower part overhangs the free end of the base, the free ends of the base and hook terminating against each other to form a slit, a guide for the string to the slit being formed by the bottom of the loop and the adjacent surface of the material, substantially as described.

t. A lacing-hook for a shoe constructed from a single piece of metal and comprising a base having its free end projected downwardly to form a projection, said base folded upon itself to form a top, said top being bent to form a loop, its free end having a projection extending toward the inner part of the loop and abutting against the projection of the base, a slit being formed between the abutting ends of the projections of the base and loop, substantially as described.

Signed by me, at WVashington, District of Columbia, this 5th day of April, 1904:.

WILLIAM B. ESTES.

WVitnesses:

J NO. IMIRIE, DENIZA MATTHEWS. 

